It’s official. Brandon Aiyuk wants out.
Via Mike Garafolo of NFL Media, Aiyuk has asked the 49ers to trade him “after an offseason of unsuccessful attempts to reach an extension.”
Aiyuk, a second-team All-Pro in 2023, is entering the option year of his rookie deal. He’s due to make $14.1 million this season.
Before the draft, we heard that the 49ers quietly gave Aiyuk’s agents permission to seek a trade. That came after the 49ers had told the Steelers in February that Aiyuk wasn’t available.
The challenge for a new team becomes making Aiyuk a long-term offer he’ll accept and giving the 49ers compensation that they deem satisfactory. Unless both things occur, a trade can’t happen.
Without a trade, Aiyuk quite possibly won’t report for camp. Last year, defensive end Nick Bosa held out for multiple weeks before getting a long-term deal. The 49ers don’t seem to be nearly as willing to pay Aiyuk as they were to pay Bosa.